Caster



J. s. CANTELO.

CASTE'RL v APPLICATION FILED DEC. I 1916. RENEWED DEC. V0. 1919.

UNITED STA ESPAT JOHN s. GANTELO, or Bos'roN, iitrissacrrnsirr'rs.

- cAsTEn Applicationiled December 1, 1916, Serial No.l 134,256.

transferring shoes from one department of` a factory to anotherv in the-process of manufacture. As aV shoe rack is thus moved about in the factory, the `wheels of its casters are apt to gather up particles of thread, cloth, lint and like waste and become clogged up, occasioning muchannoyance and difficulty in removing the same. This is especially apt to be the case with thewaxed threads which are commonly found on; the'4 floors of the factory.. A prime object of the invention is to provide an improved form, of guard devicey cooperative with a specially formed caster wheel adapted to prevent threads or other waste debris orliber's from getting into the caster wheel or interfering with the rotation thereof. A further object is to provide an especiallyY strong vand reliable caster capable of withstandingmuch rough usage and of long durability. Astill further object is to provide an improved mounting of the caster wheel or wheelswith special provision for lubrication thereof. A

still further object is to provide a caster of the type set forth with improved provision for permittinga limited, lateral swing-.of the caster wheel or wheels. The foregoing i and other objects, and featuresA 0f the invenf tion will be better understood from the f0.1-` lowing detailed description taken in,A connection with the accompanying drawings and will be thereafter pointed out in the appendpreferred form of my improved caster.A

Fig. 2 isa side'elevation thereof. v

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical Vsection on 1in@ -a of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 isa vertical section on line 4-4 Fig-5 is a fragmentary detail-side eleva;

Renewed December 10, 1919. VSerial No. V343,816.

and

Fig. 6is an edge or front `View of the'form shown in Fig. 5. l f i My improved lcaster is formed with a bracket frame or casting 10 consisting n a main upright portion which may becylindr1cal, formed with a circular top flange 11,

fitting rinto a circular' recess 12 on the inner side of a backing'plate 13, adapted to be sel speciii'aiipii ofLettersraient.rv Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

tion showing'a.v somewhat. modified formi; y I

cured toa base member 13, of the rack or other structureV to be supported. Various means may be employed for securing the plate 13, to thebas'e of the rack, but preferand as herein shown, a stout bolt 14, is threaded throughl the member B, and the lplate 13, the lower portionl of this bolt passing through a sleeve 15, which depends from'the plate 13, being shownV as integral vtherewith and is engaged at its lower end by Other secondary the head 16, of the bolt. bolts or screws, (not shown), may also be employed` to pass through projecting portions vof the plate 13, into vthe base member Bj to hold the plate 13, secure. The sleeve 15, fitsinto.- asocket recess in the top of the casting 10, and thus constitutes the external bearing for the swiveling of the caster. Thev langell, is retained in the socket12, by

suitable Vmeans shown as a clip'l?, secured by a rivet 18,- to the plate 13andextending l under the Vedge of the flange 11.` The frame L or casting 10, has at its lower portion a pivot' bolt 19,.fixed thereto and projecting therefrom, this bolt serving as a pivot andy support for ayoke frame y20, having bearing against a flattened face 21, of the' frame 10, Y

and being Aheld thereto by the head 22, of

boltV 19. The yoke frame 20, has laterally projecting portionsfin which arel fitted two' oppositely projectingY headed pivot pins 23,

24, for the two caster wheels, the heads 25, of these vpins as shown facing each other in spaced apart vrelation vinxan enlarged cylindrical recess26, which lmay extend in from one side of the yoke frame.' As a 'conven-v ientmethod offitting these pins in said yoke frame, the head of one of the pivot pins 23, may be vfitted tolthe bottom of the socket 26,

somewhat beyond the transverse center of y the yoke.frame,`while the head lof the other pivot pin 24, iscorrespondingly-spaced at the other side of such center, the pin 24, beingfitted on a sleeve 27 ,Y which may have a driving lit into the socket 26 so as tohold the pin 24, from outward displacement.

i Thev projecting portions of the pins 23, 24,

have lfixed thereon, like caster wheels 28,

j each of'these wheels having outwardly projecting hubs 29, equipped with stifening fins or ribs 30, the outer edge of which may be rounded as seen at 31, to insure the throwing vofi of threads that may be encountered thereby. The .yokeframe 20, may have its y lateral bearing extensions for the pivot pins equipped with ilange heads 32, presenting extended flat bearing faces to engage corresponding faces at the inner sides of the lwheels 28.

In accordance with my invention, each of v the casters has its tread or rimface formed with one or more grooves 33,Y extending therearound and vier cooperation with these wheels a guard plate 34, is provided having ,ears 35, formed ,with edges 36, adapted to vfit against the periphery ofthe wheels 28, and having projections 37, adapted to lit closely into the grooves 33, of said wheels.

' The guard plate 34 is -xedas by rivets-38,

at the front of the bracket 39, .upstanding from the yokei frame 20. The bracket 39 also serves as a stop element for limiting the extent to which the yoke frame 20, may swivel on the pins 19, and for this purpose n it is embraced at its opposite sides by iange A be formed to extend into the spacein the recessf26 between the heads 25, this space desirably being'filled with wastel Lor other retaining material. An oil cup or well formation 44, may be provided on the yoke frame 'around and underneath the passage 43, so as to retain and distribute the lubri` cant. Y n' It will be understood ,that while the guard plate 34, equipped with projections f37,V fitted linto the grooves 33, is a practicable and effi# cient formfof the invention, other means -may; be employed to coperate with the wheel grooves 33, for' the purpose' intended Aif. 6;, to insure the catching and drawing of any waxed threads or otherrwaste that might cling to the periphery of thewheels.

Th us, in Figs. 5 and 6, I` show a form Wherein the caster wheels 28 have for coperation with theV peripheral grooves 33 thereof, a rod formed as aloop or band 45,/ex-V tending around the lower halfof the wheels f and'engaged in said grooves the upper ends of saidloop' or band being/'held by a bracket member 46, carriedby the main frame or casting 10. y

It will be understood that in use Aany .',waste matter such as waxed threads that jecting scraper. portions 35, of the guard 34, and that by the provision of the cene tral projection 37, extending into the groove 33, it is not necessary that the scraper portion 35 should engage soA closely with the wheel periphery as'would otherwise be the case, since any amount of thread or like wastecatching on the` wheel tread wouldquite certainly extend across the groove 33, at some portion. and hence be removed by the projection 37, even though it might not be engaged by the rest of the edge of the scraper 35. In like manner the encircling rod or band 45, in therform of F ig. 5, accomplishes the same purpose insuring the removal of waste threads as soon as they come in contact therewith, the essential feature in each case beingv the provision oa relativelyfixed guard member having a portion extendinglinward ofthe tread or periphery of the wheel and in close proximity thereto forthe purpose stated.v The provision of outsidefins or ribs with the curved edges 3,1, insures the throwing offy of any waste that might be caught at the outside of the wheel,` while the close engagement'. or" the bracket39, with the inner `sides of the wheels Y in conjunction with the flangerbosses 32 pref vents any wastefrom'clogging lon the inner sides Yof the wheels. vSince the yoke fra-me 20, with the caster wheels'thereon is permitted a limited swinging on its axisv pin 19, within the limits permitted by the play of the Vbracket web 39between the ears or lugs 40, the caster wheels may thus adjust themselves to unevenness and inequalities in the floor over which they pass. It is to be noted that the bracket web 3,9, is o substantial' construction and that the lugs 40` engaging therewith arealso of substantial dimension so that liabilityvof breakage from chucking of the parts from side to Aside is avoided. By theV provision of the stout pivot bolt 14, which is of course ofmalleable metal inserted through the cast Ybacking plate 13, a strong and substantial pivot post is-provided for the swiveling or the frame'casting 10 of the caster so that likelihood of breakage of this pivot isy obviated. It will be observed that a substantial space v is provided between the heads25 of the pivotpins 23, 24,-.wherein a supply oflubricantadequateV for a long period may be "stored, so that the caster does notrequire any" frequent attention in this. respect.

Ido not desire to be limited tothe precise structural details herein exhibited "and,

therefore desire the present embodiment to beconsidered as illustrative and-'not' restrictive, referring tothe appended claims' each of said wheels equipped with axis pins fixed thereto, having heads at the; projecting ends thereof, a mounting for said wheels on said body, having bearmgs and a cavity Yto hold Vsaid axis pins with the head thereof facing each other and spaced apart to afford a lubricant containin space. v

2. A caster comprising a bodyhaving a yoke frame pivoted thereto with a capability of limited lateral swing, and a pair of spaced apart wheels journaled in said yoke frame, each having a pin fixed thereto, and

journaled in said yoke frame, said pins having heads at their inner ends-spaced apart in a cavity of said yoke frame adapted to receive lubricant. v

3. A caster comprising a body having a wheel journaled thereto equipped with a guard adapted to prevent the clinging of waste to the tread thereof, said wheel having stiening fins at its outer side with the edges thereof rounded lto prevent clinging of waste or the like thereto.y

4. A caster comprising a body having a wheel journaled thereto, a backingmember having swiveled engagement with said body, and a web projecting from said body bearing a guard member having engagement with said wheel, the sides of said web being formed and arranged to closely fit the inner side of said wheel.

5. A caster comprising a bodyhaving a pair of spaced apart wheelsjournaled thereto, a backing member to which said body is swiveled, a web projecting from said body between said wheels and bearing a guard member to coperatewith said wheels, said web having its side edges formed to closely lit the inner sides of said wheels to prevent the clinging of wastev and debris thereto.

6. A caster as herein described having a wheel carriery containing a journal box parallel Vwith its length, the carrier being combined with two wheels journaled thereto at its ends, said carrier having aweb or plate integral with its upper side and extending upwardly and aboveY the perlphery of the wheels, said web or plate. having a scraper attached thereto at its upper end and passing transversely over and adjacent the periphery of the wheels for the purpose of removing debris or other obstructions that might adhere to the 'tread of said wheels.

7 A caster as herein described having a wheel carrier containing a; journal box parallel with itsk length the carrier being combined withtwo wheels journaled thereto at its endsysaidfcarrier having a web or plate integral with its upper side and in parallel line Awith the length thereof also' extending upwardly and above said wheels,

said carrier being journaled to the lower end` y of a vertical pivot socket by means of a bolt VorA pin passing transversely through said carrier andv throughsaid plvot socket .unitin `the samein swiveled relation with each ot er, said verticalpivot socketbeing'flanged at its upper end, also a lateral flange approximately midway of its length, said lateral flange being recessed sufliciently deep to receive the thickness of the upper end of said web or plate, said recess being wider than soy the web or plate for the purpose of limiting l Vthe right and left radial 'swing of the carrier on the axes of said journal bolt or pin for the purpose of adjusting said wheels to floors of uneven surfaces.

8. A caster as herein described having a cap or pivot plate with a depending circular lllangeand circular recess within said flange,

and a pivot extending downward there-` from, said pivot having a hole therethroughl and through said cap or pivot plate for the purposeV of a reinforce -bolt of malleable iron or steel, said bolt passing upward through said pivot and said plate and provided with a nut on the upper end thereof for the purpose'of reinforcing said pivot and uniting said plate to a base frame.

9. A caster as herein described having a carrier containing a journal box parallel with its length, thecarrier being combined with two wheels journaled at its ends, saidl carrier having a web or plate-integral with its upper side and in parallel line withl the length thereof Valso extending upwardly, said carrier being journaled to the lower end of a vertical pivot sleeve by means'of a forthe purpose of holding said sleeve in relation with said pivot.

l0. A caster pas herein described, having a 'wheel Vcarrier containing a journal box Vparallel with its length, the carrier being combined with two wheels journaled thereto at its ends, said carrier being in combination with a socket pivoted thereto, said socket beingincombination with a vertical I pvot onY which it rotates, said pvot being' integra-l with a plateat its upper end, said plate being provided with ysuitable means for holding said socket in relation with Vsaid Y pivot as set forth,

11. A caster as described, having Wheels equipped with circumferential grooves in combination with ar scraper withits edge yextending approximately downward adjawheels approximately above Ior over the axes of the same for the purpose of removing debris or other obstructions.v v 12. A easter as described, havingabody in combination with a pivot socket .also two wheels journaledto jeach side of the body,

said body being provided with a scraper Xed thereto passing across land adjacent the periphery of said wheels and approXimately over'the axes of the same for the purpose of removing debris from the treads of the wheels.

i In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. 'l

v JOHN S. GANTELO. 

